Making Muzzy Bullets - Lee R.E.A.L .50 cal

[SmokepoleJR]

We got some new bullet making stuff.  Went into Discount Tire and asked the guy for some old wheel weights.  Didn't have enough, so we melted down some old fishing weights to make a pot full.  Ended up with 135 bullets. 

It stinks when you're making them, but it's easy to make and saves money.  Can't wait to try them out! 

[carpsniperg2]

Cool! Just make sure you guys have a lot of ventilation when melting. Its always cool to take a animal with a bullet or arrow you have made.

[SmokepoleJR]

yeah its outside

[carpsniperg2]

  Good deal. Didn't wat you guys getting sick. I have been around the stuff, and it can make you light headed very quick.

[Whitelightning]

Now you need to make some bullet lube, google bullet lube there are many recipes for bullet lube out there. Also Wheel weights are not pure lead they are usually an alloy your bullets being real shiny can mean they are harder than you may want. Recover some and decide on how well they work. You are going to have a blast with your new hobby. Enjoy!!!

[ML_Hunter]

When using the bullet mold, after every 5 rounds you make, let the mold cool.  Your mold can expand making the bullets a little larger and tough to fit in your bore.  A few Friends and I tried it and found this as an issue, we decided to invest in two more molds and it quickly solved the problem.  they are a blast to shoot and i'm sure you'll enjoy it!!  I use them mainly for shooting at the range, I'm sighted in and hunt with the TMZ bullets...I wonder If i can make an all Copper Bullet  

[SmokepoleJR]

Now you need to make some bullet lube, google bullet lube there are many recipes for bullet lube out there. Also Wheel weights are not pure lead they are usually an alloy your bullets being real shiny can mean they are harder than you may want. Recover some and decide on how well they work. You are going to have a blast with your new hobby. Enjoy!!!

  you're very right we had slight trouble with them. But you can skim the other alloys off the top and it works
just fine

[SmokepoleJR]

When using the bullet mold, after every 5 rounds you make, let the mold cool.  Your mold can expand making the bullets a little larger and tough to fit in your bore.  A few Friends and I tried it and found this as an issue, we decided to invest in two more molds and it quickly solved the problem.   they are a blast to shoot and i'm sure you'll enjoy it!!  I use them mainly for shooting at the range, I'm sighted in and hunt with the TMZ bullets...I wonder If i can make an all Copper Bullet  

I'm not sure if you could make a copper bullet.    but it will probably be harder to melt. I'll look into it.

[Special T]

no more lead tire weights in Wa so suck up the lead while you can!

[Heredoggydoggy]

Be aware that blackpowder bullets are to be made of pure soft lead ONLY!  Wheel weights are too hard for BP bullets.  Guys who cast bullets add wheel weights to soft lead to make it harder for smokeless powder loads.  Saw a kid a while back who put a jacketed .45 bullet into a .45 cal. muzzle loader "for better accuracy" and the gun blew up in his face.  He wasn't even wearing safety glasses, or glasses of any kind, and if a piece of shrapnel had been 1/2 inch higher, he'd have lost his right eye!  You may get away with using hard lead muzzy bullets--then again you might not.

[Smokepole]

Be aware that blackpowder bullets are to be made of pure soft lead ONLY!  Wheel weights are too hard for BP bullets.  Guys who cast bullets add wheel weights to soft lead to make it harder for smokeless powder loads.  Saw a kid a while back who put a jacketed .45 bullet into a .45 cal. muzzle loader "for better accuracy" and the gun blew up in his face.  He wasn't even wearing safety glasses, or glasses of any kind, and if a piece of shrapnel had been 1/2 inch higher, he'd have lost his right eye!  You may get away with using hard lead muzzy bullets--then again you might not.

Thanks for the info.  Some of the wheel weights we tried floated to the top.  Must be made of some other metal.  We ended up using mostly lead fishing weights, with a little wheel weight material mixed in.  I'm hoping they are soft enough .  We'll try cutting a few in half with a knife to check them.

One of our friends is a retired fisherman, and he has piles of beaded lead chain and lead line to give us.  He said he has plenty.

Thanks for the tips.

[Smokepole]

Tried cutting them with a knife, and we decided not to shoot them.  Gonna go get some lead line and start over.

Heredoggy, thanks for the advice.  I would shoot them in sabots, but they are full 50 cal.  Maybe if it quits raining we can do up another batch of pure lead reals.

[ML_Hunter]

When using the bullet mold, after every 5 rounds you make, let the mold cool.  Your mold can expand making the bullets a little larger and tough to fit in your bore.  A few Friends and I tried it and found this as an issue, we decided to invest in two more molds and it quickly solved the problem.   they are a blast to shoot and i'm sure you'll enjoy it!!  I use them mainly for shooting at the range, I'm sighted in and hunt with the TMZ bullets...I wonder If i can make an all Copper Bullet  

I'm not sure if you could make a copper bullet.    but it will probably be harder to melt. I'll look into it.

The Copper idea was purely a joke!  .  The bullet would have to be hollow point and they would need to expand propperly.  I would really not recomend it  .  Hopfully you guys can have a few days of decent weather and make more bullets.  Casting your own bullets is fun and really cuts down on the cost at the range.  Enjoy!

[Smokepole]

Me and the kid picked up 10 gallons of lead line sinkers from our friend today.  Should be a lifetime supply of lead.  Made another batch, and you can tell they are a lot softer.  Decided to recycle the ones with wheel weight material in them.  Can't wait to shoot some next weekend and see how they group.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Tried cutting them with a knife, and we decided not to shoot them.  Gonna go get some lead line and start over.

Heredoggy, thanks for the advice.  I would shoot them in sabots, but they are full 50 cal.  Maybe if it quits raining we can do up another batch of pure lead reals.

I'm relieved that you took my advice.  I was concerned that you might think I was full of B.S.  If you know anyone that casts bullets for modern cartridges you migt be able to sell the hard lead to him, or trade it for soft lead.  Good luck!